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Tuesday, 14 November 2017

I am very sad to report that Lizzie Treip, a long-time supporter of the Park, has died after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

As soon as MS forced Lizzie to give up her career, she offered her time and energy to Mile End Park as a leading member of the Friends of the park in the years after its regeneration and re-opening around 2000. She initiated and helped organise sports and arts events andstarted a series of annual summer events by organising a remarkable day of tasters of physical activities and sporting games throughout the length of the whole park. These were what later became known as Park Life. She had gathered a team of helpers who met in her home to plan these events. She continued to organise and support this and subsequent successful, well attended annual summer events for years until her health declined too much to continue.

Lizzie received an award from Tower Hamlets council in recognition of her outstanding service to the park and its community.

A memorial service to Lizzie will take place this Thursday 3.30PM at the Eco Pavilion. All her friends from the park are warmly welcome.

Tuesday, 31 October 2017

This Thursday sees the start of a short exhibition at the Art Pavilion exploring dissident craft & decorative work.

Bringing together contemporary artists across the globe, ‘Decorating Dissidence’ takes craft, decorative arts & design as a starting point to explore how dissident action has been woven into artistic practices often associated with the home & in opposition to the ‘fine arts’.

Can the decorative be political? Is craft a civic duty? Is the archive activist? Can anyone craft?

Spanning the early twentieth century to today, this exhibition will place contemporary craftmakers and artists in conversation with archival pieces. Alongside a conference held at Queen Mary, University of London, we will be curating an exhibition that showcases artists whose work engages with the decorative and the political.

The exhibition will take ‘craft’ as a broad term: the body, stitches in time, fashion, DIY zines, graphics, protest objects, ceramics, space, identity and more.

Saturday, 5 August 2017

Every month the Friends run a two-hour litter pick of the Park. Folk are welcome to come for half an hour or so if they prefer. It is a very friendly affair, and afterwards we go to the Coffee Room in Grove Road for a free drink and cakes.

This month we will be looking out for and noting where we find nitro canisters and feeding this info back to the council.

Time 10-12 noon
Location: Meet by the Art Pavilion
All equipment provided
Wear sturdy footwear and clothes appropriate to the weather. More info: info@fomep.org.uk

No Laughing Matter is the name of a campaign by Tower Hamlets Council, Tower Hamlets Police and Tower Hamlets Homes to help tackle some of the problems caused by nitrous oxide. It follows complaints from residents that antisocial behaviour linked to the taking of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas, has become a significant concern within the borough.

Groups of people taking it cause noise nuisance and it also causes a litter problem because small metal canisters containing it are often left discarded. The police have also received reports of people taking it while behind the wheel of a car. Indeed the Love Wapping website has documented several car crashes where the use of nitrous oxide has been implicated.

If you see canisters are in streets or parks please use the Fix My Street app/website as this will help FOMEP see hotspots and nudge the powers that be to target these. Alternatively, you can report them to the council’s street cleaning team on 020 7364 5004.

Friday, 4 August 2017

Quite a few of the activities take place in Mile End Park and I have grouped these below. To book a place or for more information please call 020 7364 4147 or email
mileendpark@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Monday 7th August | 12-3PM | Parent and ChildBaking Session. Location: Mile End Park Play Pavilion, Locksley Street
"Come along and bake some biscuits with us. Add some decoration and then
you can either take them home or enjoy your park made biscuits in the sun.
Book your little baker for in for a 30 minute session. Four sessions with 6–8
children per session. Booking is essential.
Spaces are limited – to book a place please call 020 7364 4147 or email
mileendpark@towerhamlets.gov.uk "

Wednesday 9th August | 12-3PM | All ages welcomeCardboard City. Location: Mile End Park Play Pavilion, Locksley Street
"Come and help build Mile End Park’s very own Cardboard city. You provide the imagination we provide the materials. Make your own den, house or castle- or any other building you like."

Friday 11th August | 12-3PM | All ages welcomeEcology Workshop Location: Mile End Ecology Pavilion, Grove Road E3 5RP
"Come along and join the park rangers in a range of activity such as Pond Dipping, Sweep Netting and Bug Hunting. Mile End Ecology Pavilion. Come along and build your very own bird box or bird feeder that you can take home and hang in in your garden or balcony. We’ll provide the materials." Spaces are limited. Booking advised.

Monday 14th August | 12-3PM | All ages welcomeBird Feeders and Boxes Location: Mile End Park Play Pavilion, Locksley Street
"Come along and build your very own bird box or bird feeder to take home
and hang in your garden or balcony. We'll provide the materials. "

Wednesday 16th August | 11-4PM | All ages welcomeA Day by the Seaside Location: Mile End Park, Burdett Road, E3
"Bringing the seaside to the city! Attractions on the day will include donkey
rides, arts and crafts, Punch and Judy, children’s rides, sports, sand and
water play, face painting, helter skelter, trampolining and much, much more. "

Thursday 17th August | 12-3PM | All ages welcomeArt Workshop. Location: Mile End Arts Pavilion, Grove Road, E3 4QY
"Join us for a creative afternoon of arts and crafts in an open ‘drop in’
session with 10–12 children at a time. We’ll keep it rotating so everyone
gets a turn. Get cutting, get sticking, get painting, and then glitter it all up!" Spaces are limited. Booking advised.

Monday 21st August | 12-3PM | Parent and childPizza Making Workshop Location: Mile End Park Play Pavilion, Locksley Street
"Join us for an afternoon of pizza making. Book your little cook in for a 30
minute session where our chefs will be getting messy rolling out dough,
decorating and cooking some delicious little pizzas. Four sessions with 6–8
children per session." Spaces are limited. Booking advised.

Friday 24th August | 12-3PM | All ages welcomeEcology Workshop Location: Mile End Ecology Pavilion, Grove Road, E3 5RP
"Come along and join the Community Park Rangers in a range of ecology
based activities such as pond dipping, sweep netting and bug hunts." Spaces are limited. Booking advised.

The booklet also contains details of activities throughout the borough including canoeing, climbing and other outdoor activities run by the Urban Adventure Base; as well as activities in Victoria Park.

Friday, 21 July 2017

This week the Art Pavilion in Mile End Park hosts an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Diana England, whose work in the East End of London has made an immeasurable impact on so many.

Starting in 1993, artist Diana England united over 3,000 people in the creation of The Millennium Tapestries. This project brought together Tower Hamlets residents to make 50 large textile art pieces, each hanging richly illustrating East London's social history. Over seven years, a mixture of ages, cultures and religions met at community locations to embroider, silk paint, screen print, dye and embellish. With titles like River Traffic Today, Rocque Map & Jewish Wedding, these pieces combine local history, textiles and community arts at its highest quality.

As part of the exhibition, there will be a series of free, creative workshops which are open to all.

Friday 21 July, 10am – 12.30pm - Sewing SocialEnglish for Sewing has been part of Stitches in Time’s core community outreach programme for over 15 years. Join us to learn English in a friendly and inspiring environment, and take part in sewing activities.

Saturday 22 July, 11am – 2pm – Mapping StepneyFamilies are invited to take part in the current project by adding to Stitches in Time’s newest tapestry, The Mercers’ Map of Stepney. This is supported by ‘The Mercers Company’ and involves superimposing contemporary Stepney onto a historical map of the area.

Sunday 23 July, 11am – 2pm – Animate and CreateThis stop-frame animation workshop for kids will help them bring the Mercers’ Map to life in a hands-on activity session using various materials. Booking required, ages 8+

Friday, 14 July 2017

This weekend sees the end of the delightful Summer Exhibition from the Essential School of Painting which has been running at the Art Pavilion this week. It is well worth a look and has some really beautiful paintings, which look great in the Art Pavilion setting.

Pop in if you are wandering the Park. I have only had a quick gander, but look forward to spending some more time over the weekend.

The exhibition runs from 10:00 to 6:30pm this Saturday and 10:00 to 5:00pm on Sunday.

Friday, 2 June 2017

This Sunday is the Friends' monthly litter-pick of the Park. We meet at 10am by the Art Pavilion and litter-pick the park for a couple of hours (or less if you want to!) and then slope off to the Coffee Room for complimentary refreshments. Litter pickers, gloves and refuse bags are supplied. Just make sure you wear clothing suitable for our variable weather.

The park is full of contrasts at the moment - trees are being threatened by youths stripping the bark away; the water level in the Eco Pavilion is higher than it has been for years aided by the odd Boris Bike that has been added to the soup; and amid this vandalism a pair of swans have built a nest and are rearing an octet of signets.

Please do come along and join us this Sunday. As MC I promise to let you enjoy the park providing you lift the odd bit of litter.

Laurence King Publishing will be providing a range of activities. They will be supplying colouring and comic making books to the ever popular Minimakers’ Craft Room, hosting two temporary tattoo booths for kids and adults, plus children will be invited to dress as their favourite superhero for an action packed treasure hunt. Laurence King will also be selling discounted books and games from their creative range of titles.

Tuesday, 18 April 2017

We are now gearing up for our annual Community Fair & Dog Show on Sunday 9th July 12-5 PM. Make sure you put that date in your diary. More info to follow. We will have lots for the young, old, those in between and of course plenty for our canine friends.If you'd like to help out in any way then email info@fomep.org.ukAlso, can you think of any dog-related tracks to play during the doggie events? Let us know at info@fomep.org.uk

Friday, 31 March 2017

I hope some of you can make it to this year's Annual General Meeting. The Friends committee will be updating you on what we have got up to in the last 12 months as well as briefing members on our aims for 2017 and beyond.

The Park Managers will be around to brief attendees on their team's accomplishments in 2016 and future projects. There will also be a short Q and A session.

Sunday, 5 March 2017

A wonderfully accessible art exhibition has opened at the Art Pavilion in the park. It runs from 5th March to 9th April, 12-6PM daily. Works on display are inspired by nature and include pieces from David Nash and Andy Goldsworthy, and has been curated by James Putnam with Alteria Art.

Yours truly was lucky enough to pop along to the opening night and without a doubt, it is the most enjoyable exhibition the Art Pavilion has hosted in a while - I wanted to take just about all the exhibits home with me. There are works by 28 established and emerging artists and the Pavilion is the ideal setting with some of the works overflowing into the outdoor arena of the lake and the Art Pavilion island. The pieces are very varied, as is nature itself of course, and the curator James Putnam has done an amazing job of bringing together such a stimulating collection of exhibits of varying form, colour and texture that make full use of the Pavilion's panoramic setting.

There will be a late night opening (as part of First Thursdays) on Thursday 6th April

Sunday, 26 February 2017

I hope you have had a great weekend. After a fairly dreary couple of months, the park has started to wakeup. The video above posted on twitter by @artmemos has really lifted my day. Just a minor detour from your busy day into the park to spot some squirrels or birds hopping around, or the bright joyful colours of the spring bulbs, can really lift the spirits.

The Friends monthly litter-pick sessions begin again next Sunday 5th March. We will meet by the Art Pavilion (behind the Grove Road Texaco Garage) at 10am and litter pick until approximately 12 midday. Then we'll pop to The Coffee Room in Grove Road for a [free] coffee or two and a chat. Pop along if you can for all or part of the session. Just make sure you have some good shoes on - we supply all the gloves, litter picks and refuse bags. It is a surprisingly social affair and fingers crossed the spring bulbs will be out in their wonderful mix of colours.

Sunday, 12 February 2017

This exhibition by Art Catcher, a London curator of exhibitions about cultural and emotional identity, in collaboration with Incloodu Festivals and supported by Tower Hamlets Council, looks on the effects our cultural rituals have on how we feel about ourselves and the world, how it can help us to think big and walk towards each other while at other times it stops us from spreading our wings.

40 artists have responded to the theme in painting, print, interactive installation and video work in sometimes humorous, sometimes questioning ways and it is a particular strong point of this show that it speaks to all ages and makes for an interesting visit for the whole family. The exhibition runs at the Mile End Park Art Pavilion until Sunday the 19th February and is open 12-6PM daily with further events as detailed on the Art Catcher website